Synchronizing yarn winding to stuffer crimper output

ABSTRACT

Crimping yarn in a stuffer crimper and winding crimped yarn from the core produced by a substantially uniform rate of feed to the crimper is carried out with the sensed volume of the core utilized to selectively change the rate of crimped yarn winding onto a package support. The yarn winder has two drive means, on including an overrunning clutch through which yarn winding is normally carried out and the other including a friction roller which frictionally drives the yarn winder faster to overrun the overrunning clutch when an increased core of yarn is sensed in the crimper chamber.

[45} July 11, 1972 [S4] SYNCHRONIZING YARN WINDING T0 STUFFER CRIMPER OUTPUT [72] Inventor: Charles R. Clhello, Wilmington, Del.

[73] Assignee: Joseph Bancroft 81 Sons Co., Wilmington.

Del.

[22] Filed: Nov. 12, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 88,931

Schrader ..28/1 .7 Stanley ..28/l.7

Primary Examiner-Louis K. Rimrodt Anome \-Birch, Swindler, McKie 8: Beckett ABSTRACT Crimping yarn in a stutfer crimper and winding crimped yarn from the core produced by a substantially uniform rate of feed to the crimper is carried out with the sensed volume of the core utilized to selectively change the rate of cn'mped yarn winding onto a package support. The yam winder has two drive means. on including an overrunning clutch Lhmugh which yarn winding is normally carried out and the other including a friction roller which frictionally drives the yarn winder faster to overrun Lhe overrunning clutch when an in creased core of yarn is sensed in the crimper chamber.

1 1 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures SYNCHRONIZING YARN WINDING TO STUFFER CRIMPER OUTPUT INVENTION BACKGROUND This invention relates to the field of producing so called crimped yarn and more particularly to the combination of a stuffer crimper and changeable speed yarn winder for withdrawing crimped yarn from the core of yarn built up in the crimping chamber during operation of the stuffer crimper.

As known in the art, a stuffer crimper provides a crimping chamber which is appropriately heated and feed rolls disposed relative to the chamber to feed yarn into the chamber and produce a core of crimped yarn within the chamber. The chamber and its heating and cooling are appropriately interrelated such that the crimped yam exists in the chamber under setting conditions a sufficient length of time for the crimp to be permanently set therein before removal from the chamber under tension. The nature of the crimp, the temperature, the time within the crimping chamber, the rate of feed and other conditions can be regulated with great accuracy to obtain the desired crimped yarn results. An example of a stuffer crimper may be found disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,760,252. Usually, the yarn is extracted from the crimping chamber and wound onto a package carried by a yarn winder associated with the stuffer crimper.

Prior apparatus has been proposed wherein the stuffer crimper has a sensing device mounted to respond to the volume of crimped yarn making up the core in the crimping chamber. This sensing device may include an electric switch which is opened and closed as the volume of the core increases and decreases. This switch may be included in the circuit controlling the speed of the feed rolls which feed yarn into the crimping chamber or the switch may be interposed in a control circuit to obtain variation of the speed of the yarn winder and thus increase or decrease the rate of withdrawal of yarn from the crimping chamber as the core is sensed to have increased or decreased, respectively. In the case of controlling the feed rolls speed, the speed of the yarn winder is maintained continuous. Where the yarn winder speed is varied, the speed of the feed rolls of the stufi'er crimper will be operated at a uniform speed.

It can be advantageous in operation of the stuffer crimper to maintain the speed of the feed rolls at an essentially constant speed such that the rate of yarn introduced into the crimping chamber will be uniform and uniformity of the crimping action within the chamber may be most efiectively controlled. Thus, in the instant invention, uniform speed for the stuffer crimper feed rolls is desired while the operating speed of the yarn winder in rotating the package as a winding of crimped yarn is extracted from the core will be changed between 2 normal and a higher speed with the change between normal and higher speed of yarn winder operation being effected in response to a sensing device which responds to the volume of crimped yarn within the crimping chamber of the stuffer crimper.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a stuffer crimper and a yarn winder wherein sensing means effects change in the yarn winder speed which is particularly simple and reliable in effecting extraction of yarn from the core and winding it onto the package and which therefore is less likely to fail.

It is further primary aim of the invention to provide a yarn winder associated with a stuffer crimper controlled by means sensing the volume of crimped yarn making up the core within the crimping chamber which is inexpensive in its construction, is characterized by ease of repair and replacement of parts, and is economical in the space that it requires both in its mounting and in its operation.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a stuffer crimper and a yarn winder wherein relatively smooth change between operating speeds of the winder is obtained and the avoidance of a sudden slam in speed change within the yarn winder is avoided.

The foregoing objects, aims and purposes of the invention are substantially met and the shortcomings of the prior art are substantially alleviated through the use of the present invention which in one aspect has the driving drum of the yarn winder, which engages and rotates the winding of crimped yarn extracted from the core onto the package supported by the yarn winder, driven from a power input shaft alternately by one of two drive means. The first, providing a normal driving speed for the drum, includes an overrunning clutch through which rotational energy of the input shaft is imparted to rotate the driving drum; the second, including a drive roll and a friction roller with the friction roller being mounted to be shiflable into and out of a position wherein the roller is driven by the drive roll and frictionally drives the driving drum at a speed higher than the driving speed of the first drive means. This higher speed is permitted by the overrunning clutch in the first drive means. A sensing means responding to the volume of crimped yarn making up the core within the chamber of the stufier crimper is connected to shift the friction roller into and out of its frictionally driving position upon increase and decrease respectively of the volume of the yarn core.

Various other objects and details of construction will be apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed. Such invention will be better understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which a specific embodiment has been set forth for purposes of illustration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the stuffer crimper and yarn winder embodying the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a partial end view with parts in section showing the alternate positions of the shiftable holder and friction roller incorporated to impart the higher speed to the driving drum of the yarn winder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONOF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, this diagrammatic perspective view illustrates the features of the invention comprising the combination of a stuffer crimper and a speed controlled yarn winder. The stuffer crimper is generally designated by the reference numeral 10. It is provided with a pair of feed rolls l2 which draw yarn 14 from a yarn supply 16 through a suitable yarn guide 18. As is well known in the art, a suitable tension device (not shown) may be provided prior to passage of the yarn into the bite of feed rolls 12 to appropriately condition the yarn for feed into the stuffer crimper 10.

The rolls 12, as is usual, are geared to rotate together and are appropriately driven by a motor 20 which in the invention herein serves to feed the yarn at a substantially uniform rate into the bore of a saddle 22. The saddle 22 is disposed on the upper side of the bite of rolls l2 and opens into a crimping chamber 24 which extends upwardly through an appropriate heated housing 26, opening through the upper end of such housing with the uppermost end of chamber 24 being shown on FIG. 1 in section.

The yarn l4 fed through saddle 22 into chamber 24 is, as conventionally achieved in a stuffer crimper operation, crimped and effectively set within the chamber under the heat conditions imparted thereto by heated housing 26 and the stuffing of the yarn into the chamber 24 effected by rolls l2. This crimped yarn within chamber 24 produces a core which builds up toward the top of the chamber. The yarn 14, now in a crimped state, is withdrawn from the top of chamber 24 through a suitable yarn guide 28 by the yarn winder generally designated by the reference numeral 30.

Adjacent the upper end of chamber 24 of stuffer crimper 10, there is mounted a sensing device 32. This device includes an arm 34 which, as diagrammatically illustrated, extends into chamber 24 through a longitudinally extending slot 36. Thus,

the end of arm 34 senses the volume of the core of crimped yarn built up within chamber 24 of the stufi'er crimper 10. In the solid line position illustrated on FIG. 1, a high volume for the core is detected. In the dotted line position shown in this figure, a lower volume core within chamber 24 is responded to. The arm 34 may be connected to actuate a switch internally of the sensing device 32 with leads 38 extending from the sensing device switch to include the switch in a control circuit for energizing and deenergizing a solenoid 40. As will be explained hereinafter the solenoid 40 through the sensing device 32 and arm 34 converts the high or low core volume of crimped yarn within chamber 24 into a mechanical actuating force to control speed of the yarn winder 30.

Further description of the operation of yarn crimping carried out by the stufi'er crimper 10 should not be necessary since the operation and functioning of such equipment is known in the prior art. A more or less typical stuffer crimper with a core volume sensing device is disclosed in Shattuck US. Pat. No. 2,760,252 issued Aug. 28, 1956.

Description may now be given of the yarn winder 30 which is controlled by the sensing device 32 to alter its speed of extraction of yarn from the core in chamber 24 of the stufi'er crimper l and thereby keep the volume or quantity of crimped yarn making up the core within desired limits for most effective operation and uniform crimped yarn production.

The yarn winder has a packaged support 42 to carry the winding of crimped yarn l4 extracted from the core produced within the crimping chamber 24 of the stuffer crimper 10. The package support 42 is suitably mounted and rotatably supported on an arm 44 in a conventional manner. It is to be understood that in winding onto the package support 42, the yarn 14 will preferably pass over a traversing guide diagrammatically illustrated at 46 which will serve to lay the yarn across the winder package in the normal manner to build up uniform layers of the crimped yarn on the package. It should also he understood that this traversing guide can be indepen dently driven or driven in a manner to be synchronized with the rest ofthe system,

The winding of crimped yarn 14 onto the package support 42 is effected by provision of a driving drum 50 which is mounted relative to the package support so as to engage and rotate the winding as it is being applied and built up on the package support 42. Of course, in conjunction with this winding operation the conventional traversing guide 46 will perform its function to lay the crimped yarn in relatively even layers onto the winder package.

In the specific embodiment illustrated the driving drum 50 is journaled on a power input shaft 52 so as to be supported to be rotatable relative to such shaft. An overrunning clutch 54 is interposed between the shaft 52 and the driving drum 50. The shaft 52 is supported by suitable external bearing means (not shown) and is connected to be driven by motor 56 such that essentially constant speed and rotational energy is imparted to the input shaft 52.

Under what may be considered the normal operating speed for the yarn winder 30, the driving drum 50 is rotated through the overrunning clutch 54 with the rotational energy being provided by shaft 52 from motor 56. As will be explained, when the sensing unit 32 detects an increased volume of the crimped yarn core in crimping chamber 24 the driving drum 50 is driven at a higher rotative speed with the overrunning clutch 54 permitting such drum to rotate in excess of the speed of shaft 52 while the rotative energy of input shaft 52 is still being utilized through mechanism hereinafter described to impart the higher rotative speed to the drum 50.

In the specifically illustrated embodiment, the end of power input shaft 52 is provided with a timing belt pulley 58. A toothed flexible timing belt 60 is driven by pulley 58 and in turn drives a smaller timing belt pulley 62 which is secured to a secondary shaft 64. This secondary shaft is suitably sup ported in bearing means (not shown) to operate with its axis parallel to the axis of input shaft 52. The secondary shaft 64 in turn has a drive roll 66 secured to rotate therewith providing a cylindrical driving surface which frictionally engages with the rubber tired surface 68 of a friction roller 70.

Friction roller 70 is rotatably supported on a stub shaft 72 which is carried by a shiftable holder 74. The holder 74 carrying roller 70 on stub shaft 72, is pivotally mounted on secondary shaft 64 adjacent the drive roll 66 by means of an eccentric bearing 75 (FIG, 2). In the illustrated construction the holder 74 is formed with two bolted together sections which clamp around the eccentric bearing 75. Thus by loosening the bolts holding the sections together the angular position of the eccentricity of the bearing may be readily changed to adjust the degree of frictional driving pressure between roll 66 and surface 68 of roller 70 and then the bolts tightened to hold eccentric bearing 75 in its desired position,

The holder 74 has an actuating arm 76 extending away from secondary shaft 64 opposite the location of friction roller 70 on stub shaft 72,

An operating link 78 is pivotally connected to the outer end of arm 76 of the shiftable holder 74. This link 78 in turn has its end, remote from its pivotal connection at 80 to the holder arm 76, connected to the operating plunger 82 of solenoid 40. A suitable spring 84 connected to a stationary bracket 86 has its opposite end connected to link 78 to be disposed in a position tending to bias arm 76 and holder 74 in a clockwise direction as shown on the views of the application drawing.

Referring again to the driving drum 50 which engages and rotates the winding in build up of the crimped yarn 14 on the package support 42, the end portion of the driving drum is provided with a cylindrical friction surface 90. This cylindrical surface 90 is generally aligned with the cylindrical drive surface on the drive roll 66. Likewise the plane of friction roller 70 is aligned with the cylindrical surface 90 and drive roll 66 so that the rubber tired surface 68 of roller 70 is shiftable into and out of a position wherein the friction roller 70, driven by engaging the surface of drive roll 66 also engages the cylindrical surface 90 on the driving drum 50 ofthe yarn winder 30.

When in the driving position, the rotative speed of secondary shaft 64 and the relative diameters of drive roll 66, friction roller 70 and cylindrical surface 90 on the driving drum 50 are such that a higher rotative speed is imparted to driving drum 50 than the rotative speed of shaft 52. In this condition the overrunning clutch 54 permits driving drum 50 to rotate at speed faster than that of shaft 52. Accordingly, the faster rotative speed of the drum 50 increases the rate of winding of crimped yarn 14 onto the package support 42.

The shifting of friction roller 70 into and out of its position for frictionally driving the driving drum 50 is accomplished by pivoting the holder 74 which carries friction roller 70 on stub shaft 72. This pivoting movement is obtained through holder arm 76 and link 78 connected to the plunger 82 of solenoid 40. Spring 84 normally tends to urge the holder 74, and thus friction roller 70, out of driving engagement with cylindrical surface 90. When the arm 34 of sensing means 32 responds to a relatively high volume for the core in crimping chamber 24 of crimper stuffer 10, the switch in the sensing device 32 is closed, energizing solenoid 40. This projects the plunger 82 of the solenoid and through link 78 overcomes the biasing force of spring 84 thereby pivoting holder 74 through arm 76 to shift friction roller 70 so that surface 68 frictionally drives the driving drum 50 by its engagement with cylindrical surface 90. As previously stated overrunning clutch 54 permits drum S0 to rotate at a speed in excess of that of the power input shaft 52 in this condition.

As the higher speed driving of drum 50 increases the winding rate of the crimped yarn onto the package support 42, yarn 14 is withdrawn at a faster rate from the crimper chamber 24 resulting in the cores volume in such chamber decreasing. When the arm 34 of the sensing device 32 responds to a sufficiently decreased volume of the core, the sensing device switch opens and in turn solenoid 40 is deenergized whereupon plunger 82 of the solenoid is retracted under the urging of spring 844 Accordingly, the holder 74 pivots to a position where the friction roller 70 is shifted out of its frictional driving position where it engaged the cylindrical surface 90 on drum 50.

The frictional type of speed driving of drum 50 is advantageous in reducing sudden abrupt changes in the rotating speed of the yarn winder. There is a certain amount of slip as the friction roller 70 surface 68 moves into engagement with the cylindrical surface 90 on the driving drum. This tends to avoid or minimize sudden speed changes. When the friction roller 70 is shifted out of its driving position, the winding speed rather gradually slows down until driving drum S0 is again driven through overrunning clutch 54 and rotates at the same rotative speed as input shaft 52.

In considering the number of speed change shifts which may be effectively utilized with a speed change yarn winder as described hereinabove it is contemplated that at the start of the winding operation in building up a crimped yarn package, shifts to the higher winding speed through utilization of shift ing movements of friction roller 70 may occur in the order of five to eight changes per minute. As the size of the crimped yarn package increases, the number of shifts per minute may well drop to three or four. Logically, the number of shifts in yarn winder speed occurring in operation of the apparatus will depend on the tolerance or variation in volume of the core desired or permitted in operation of the crimper stuffer.

Whereas, in the specifically illustrated embodiment, the rubber tired surface 68 of friction roller 70 is brought into engagement with a cylindrical portion 90 on the driving drum 50 to achieve the higher yarn winder speed, it is to be understood that the friction roller may be engaged through other driving means than by being directly engaged with a portion of driving drum 50 to achieve the higher yarn winder speed with over running ofthe clutch 54.

It will, of course, be recognized that although the yarn winder 30 has been specifically illustrated and described in the form of a drum winder wherein the package is driven by frictional contact with the positively driven drum 50, the winder 30 could be in the form of a spindle winder. In a spindle winder, as is well known, the package fits directly over and is connected to be driven by a spindle. In such an embodiment, rotation of the spindle carrying the package at different speeds would be effected through one or the other of the drive means heretofore described for driving, at different speeds, the drum 50 on the illustrated drum winder.

it also is to be understood that whereas the illustrated and preferred embodiment, providing different yarn winder driving speeds from a single drive motor 56, is advantageous in that it requires only one rotating drive source, it should be recognized that the driving power to effect the higher winding speed could be obtained by utilizing a second driving motor. For example, in such an embodiment, the timing belt 60 and pulleys 58 and 62 to drive secondary shaft 64 could be omitted and shaft 64 powered from a second motor or power source supplemental to the power source of motor 56.

It is to be understood that the form and embodiment of the invention herein shown and described is to be taken only as a preferred representation of the invention and that various changes and modifications in the arrangement of the components, parts. units, etc. may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for crimping and winding yarn onto a package comprising:

a stuffer crimper having a crimping chamber and feed rolls disposed to feed yarn into said crimping chamber at a substantially uniform rate to produce a core of crimped yarn within said chamber,

sensing means positioned relative to said chamber to respond to the volume of yarn within said chamber,

a yarn winder having a package support to carry a winding of crimped yarn extracted from said core and winder driving means to rotate said winding,

a rotating power input shaft,

first drive means for driving said winder driving means at a first rate connected to said input shaft and rotated thereby, said first drive means comprising an overrunning clutch connected to said winder driving means,

second drive means for driving said winder driving means at a second rate greater than said first rate, said second drive means comprising a driven drive roll, a rotatable friction roller shiftable between a driving position in engagement with both said driven drive roll and said winder driving means and an idle position disengaged therefrom, said friction roller when in said driving position being permitted to drive said winder driving means at said second rate because of the presence of said overrunning clutch and,

means for moving said friction roller between said driving position and said idle position, said moving means being responsive to said sensing means to move said friction roller into said driving position when the volume of yarn in said chamber exceeds a predetermined volume and to said idle position when the yarn is of lesser volume.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said drive roll is driven from said input shaft.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said driving means includes a drum positioned to engage and rotate said winding, and said roller frictionally drives means coupled to drive said drum.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said friction roller is rubber tired and frictionally engages with a cylindrical end portion of said driving drum in driving said drum.

5. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said friction roller is mounted on a stub shaft, said stub shaft being carried on a shiftable holder such that the stub shaft is movable trans versely on its axis to shift said friction roller between said driving position and said idle position, and an actuator providing reciprocable actuating force in response to increase and decrease of the volume of said core in relation to said predetermined volume as sensed by said sensing means is connected to effect shifting movements of said holder.

6. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said driving drum is journalcd on said power input shaft, and said overrunning clutch is interposed between said shaft and said drum to drive the drum at said first rate when not being driven through said drive roll and said friction roller at said second rate.

7. Apparatus as recited in claim I wherein said drive roll is mounted on a secondary shaft parallel to said input shaft, and belt and pulley means drivingly interconnect said input shaft and said secondary shaft.

8. Apparatus as recited in claim I wherein said sensing means includes a switch having its operator disposed to respond to the volume of crimped yarn making up the core in said crimping chamber, and a solenoid is connected to respond to the opening and closing of said switch and said solenoid effects shifting of said friction roller.

9. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said friction roller is mounted on a stub shaft, said stub shaft being carried on a shiftable holder such that the stub shaft is movable transversely of its axis to move said friction roller between said driving position and said idle position, said drive roll is mounted on a secondary shaft parallel to said input shaft, and said shiftable holder is journaled on said secondary shaft to pivot said friction roller between said driving position and said idle position.

10. Apparatus as recited in claim 9 wherein said shiftable holder is journalcd on said secondary shaft by an eccentric bearing to facilitate adjustment of the driving engagement between said drive roll and said friction roller.

11. Apparatus as recited in claim 9 wherein said driving means includes a drum which is journalcd on said power input shaft, and said overrunning clutch is interposed between said shaft and said drum to drive the drum when not being driven through said drive roll and said friction roller.

1: s is t a 

1. Apparatus for crimping and winding yarn onto a package comprising: a stuffer crimper having a crimping chamber and feed rolls disposed to feed yarn into said crimping chamber at a substantially uniform rate to produce a core of crimped yarn within said chamber, sensing means positioned relative to said chamber to respond to the volume of yarn within said chamber, a yarn winder having a package support to carry a winding of crimped yarn extracted from said core and winder driving means to rotate said winding, a rotating power input shaft, first drive means for driving said winder driving means at a first rate connected to said input shaft and rotated thereby, said first drive means comprising an overrunning clutch connected to said winder driving means, second drive means for driving said winder driving means at a second rate greater than said first rate, said second drive means comprising a driven drive roll, a rotatable friction roller shiftable between a driving position in engagement with both said driven drive roll and said winder driving means and an idle position disengaged therefrom, said friction roller when in said driving position being permitted to drive said winder driving means at said second rate because of the presence of said overrunning clutch and, means for moving said friction roller between said driving position and said idle position, said moving means being responsive to said sensing means to move said friction roller into said driving position when the volume of yarn in said chamber exceeds a predetermined volume and to said idle position when the yarn is of lesser volume.
 2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said drive roll is driven from said input shaft.
 3. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said driving means includes a drum positioned to engage and rotate said winding, and said roller frictionally drives means coupled to drive said drum.
 4. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said friction roller is rubber tired and frictionally engages with a cylindrical end portion of said driving drum in driving said drum.
 5. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said friction roller is mounted on a stub shaft, said stub shaft being carried on a shiftable holder such that the stub shaft is movable transversely on its axis to shift said friction roller between said driving position and said idle position, and an actuator providing reciprocable actuating force in response to increase and decrease of the volume of said core in relation to said predetermined volume as sensed by said sensing means is connected to effect shifting movements of said holder.
 6. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said driving drum is journaled on said power input shaft, and said overrunning clutch is interposed between said shaFt and said drum to drive the drum at said first rate when not being driven through said drive roll and said friction roller at said second rate.
 7. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said drive roll is mounted on a secondary shaft parallel to said input shaft, and belt and pulley means drivingly interconnect said input shaft and said secondary shaft.
 8. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said sensing means includes a switch having its operator disposed to respond to the volume of crimped yarn making up the core in said crimping chamber, and a solenoid is connected to respond to the opening and closing of said switch and said solenoid effects shifting of said friction roller.
 9. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said friction roller is mounted on a stub shaft, said stub shaft being carried on a shiftable holder such that the stub shaft is movable transversely of its axis to move said friction roller between said driving position and said idle position, said drive roll is mounted on a secondary shaft parallel to said input shaft, and said shiftable holder is journaled on said secondary shaft to pivot said friction roller between said driving position and said idle position.
 10. Apparatus as recited in claim 9 wherein said shiftable holder is journaled on said secondary shaft by an eccentric bearing to facilitate adjustment of the driving engagement between said drive roll and said friction roller.
 11. Apparatus as recited in claim 9 wherein said driving means includes a drum which is journaled on said power input shaft, and said overrunning clutch is interposed between said shaft and said drum to drive the drum when not being driven through said drive roll and said friction roller. 